By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — While images of the war devastation in Ukraine have saturated the news bulletins around the world, a much more severe human disaster is unravelling in many other parts of the world that could throw over one-fifth of humanity back into poverty. “We have all seen the tragedy unfolding inside […]
Sustainable Development Threatened by ‘Finance Divide’ and COVID-19
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) — The crippling cost of debt financing for many developing countries has hamstrung their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, forced cutbacks in development spending, and constrained their ability to respond to further shocks, according to a new United Nations report.
UN’s Goal of Poverty & Hunger Eradication by 2030 is “Highly Unlikely, if not Impossible”
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — A projected rise in global poverty this year—with over a quarter of a billion more people joining the ranks of the world’s poor—threatens to undermine the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the General Assembly back in 2015. One of the primary goals, listed high-up as […]
Green Investments, the New Black for Sustainable Development in Africa
By Busani Bafana KIGALI, Rwanda (IDN) — Less than ten years to the deadline to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa is at development cross roads. The big question is how can Africa achieve inclusive and sustainable development to meet the twin agendas; 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063?
Ukraine: ‘We Need Peace Now’ Declares the UN Chief & Warns of Global Hunger Meltdown
By UN News UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — Ukraine is being “decimated before the eyes of the world” with Russia’s military offensive against civilians “reaching terrifying proportions”, said the UN chief on March 14, warning that a resulting meltdown of the global economy is provoking a hunger crisis that is hitting the poorest, hardest. Secretary-General António […]
Court Freezes Planned Amazon HQ in Cape Town on Historically Significant Site
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A massive new complex housing Amazon’s proposed South African headquarters along with a hotel and other businesses continues to face stiff opposition from indigenous Khoisan, environmental and community groups despite city officials already approving of construction of the nine-story construction. Opponents say the project will […]
Concern Over ‘Fortress Conservation’ and Evictions of Kenyans from Ancestral Homelands
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Nature conservancies, with the stated goal of protecting wilderness and endangered wildlife, have enabled the removal of tribal peoples from their ancestral homelands in Africa to allow superior “western” models of conservation to prevail, according to the activist group Survival International. Under the western model, […]
Over 100 Millionaires Call for Wealth Taxes on The Richest
By Rodney Reynolds NEW YORK (IDN) — A group of over 100 millionaires and billionaires from nine countries published an open letter January 19 to government and business leaders, calling for permanent annual wealth taxes on the very richest to help reduce extreme inequality and raise revenue for sustained, long-term increases in public services like […]
Global Pandemic Halts Economic Recovery, Says UN Report
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) — A new United Nations report shows that the rapid spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has halted a rapid recovery, countering signs of solid growth at the end of 2021. The report titled, 2022 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) by the UN Department of Economic and Social […]
Global Agreement Defines The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — A historic agreement defines the common values and principles needed to ensure the healthy development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). All the member states of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have signed the agreement. The importance of the agreement signed on November 23 is underlined by […]